What type of Spotter Should I Use at Home?

 There are many spotters on the market and they all claim to be that one spotter that will handle any type of spot you encounter in your home.  They also demonstrate how easy it wipes up the minute you spray or spread their product on your spot and how quickly it disappears to reveal a beautiful clean carpet.  You have to ask yourself this, if that is true, then why doesn’t my professional carpet cleaner just carry that on his truck and use it for spotting?  The reason is simple, for the professional cleaner, each spot is made up of either natural or synthetic material and one spotter can’t remove every type of spot.  Now granted, there are some decent spotters on the market that, will handle some minor spots if and that is if the conditions are right.  For instance, your carpet is newer and stills has scotch guard working in it, you get to the spot before it has a chance to penetrate the fiber, or your type of carpet has a natural repellent for that type of spot.  That’s a whole lot of ifs we are factoring into the equation. 

  We always recommend using the least abrasive spotter and one that has no bleach or oxidizers and leaves behind no residue.  You see many spotters will remove the spot but, leave behind residue that causes the darkness in the area that once was a spot.  Or worse, they bleach out the spot and leave a brighter area because it has removed the dye from the fiber. 

  Find a spotter that has no residue capability and lacks oxidizers and use it according to the directions.  Many times we find that a spotter will work but, we tend to use more than directed by the manufacturer, because they think if I use more the results will be faster and better.  Truth, overuse of a spotter can cause more problems when you call us for removal.  Follow the directions fully and remember that dwell time is important and that a spotter takes time to penetrate the spot and work. 

We only recommend our spot-out for all purpose and then we have individual spotters for home use that address only certain spots.  We have a pet spotter, gum and tar spotter, coffee and tea spotter and even a juice dye spotter.  Each is made for a certain types of spots and remember follow the directions.  Now some spots have a very strong red dye and removal will require a professional and that’s where we come in.  Some pet urine issues will be beyond an in-home use spotter too. 

  Just remember this, spotters on the market will work but never over use them and always consult with a professional if you have any questions.  We will gladly assist you in your spotting needs and help you save your carpet and make it last a long time.